Levetiracetam for Epilepsy User Reviews (Page 5)

• cry...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 29, 2015

"I've been taking levetiracetam for 10 years now. I take 500 mg 2X daily. The first 4 years I experienced little side effects, like strange sleep patterns, always tired, and a slight disruption in my ability to concentrate. My seizures were reduced to only 3-4 a year vs. 1-2 a week. In the last five years, however, the long-term side effects have hit me hard: muscle and bone weakness, sciatica, migraines, hair loss, no energy, bouts of rage where I feel outside my body watching a mad woman (I have always been a calm, collected person who never yelled and rarely felt anger). The anger is overwhelming. Suicidal ideation, severe depression, complete lack of concentration, inability to think of words (which is devastating for my love of writing)."

• she...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 14, 2023

Levetiracetam "My daughter was diagnosed with epilepsy. The neurologist was very confident about the diagnosis. My daughter had an EEG (no idea if it showed anything; we were tired and may have misunderstood what he said about that). The MRI was negative for problems. For the past 4 months or so, I have seen weekly occurrences of my daughter making strange faces (this involved cheek twitching and lip quivering). We did not realize it could be a serious problem until she had an obvious seizure (simple partial) last week. What is troubling about my daughter's condition is that we have seen many daytime seizures, and recently the seizures seem to cluster together. We have no idea if there are seizures occurring at night. We were given a prescription for Keppra, but we are still weighing the risks/rewards of giving the medication to a toddler. After returning from the hospital, my daughter experienced a round of vomiting lasting from 3 AM to 11 AM, followed by additional vomiting the following morning at around 2 AM."

• Lou...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 23, 2016

"This drug has changed my life. I take it along with Tegretol CR. I was having continued absence seizures regularly until I started taking this. Since then, I have been completely free of those invasive seizures."

• Anonymous
• December 20, 2016

"I had my first episode when I was 12 months. The side effects I get are a decrease in appetite, forgetting minor things, and headaches. They couldn't tell what was wrong with me at that time. At the age of 12 years old, I had my second episode in my sleep. I found myself crawling to my parents' room because I couldn't walk or talk correctly. When I went to the hospital, they diagnosed me with epilepsy. What causes my seizures is an enlarged blood vessel on the right side of my brain. I started off with 750 mg of levetiracetam. I only had episodes when I missed 1-3 days of my medicine. Now I will be 19 years old in April, and I am now taking 500 mg of levetiracetam. They're lowering the doses as I get older."

• smo...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 28, 2023

"Started taking levetiracetam 1750 mg per day in 2001 along with diazepam. My problem surfaced when I was 8 and had an aura (1958). No drugs were used until I was 11. Nothing was 100% effective until that combo in 2001. But they both gave up in late 2005, had brain surgery in 2006, and it was great, but will be taking levetiracetam for the rest of my life. No seizures since my operation. Best drug ever for me, all drugs prior never had total control. Good luck."

• Bec...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 24, 2020

Levetiracetam "Been on this med for a month. It’s absolutely a lifesaver. I had been on Trileptal and had increasing seizures, even in my sleep. This med had stopped them completely, as well as provided me with the sleep I haven’t had in years. Not one side effect whatsoever!!! I’m sticking to them, 500 mg x 2 tabs twice a day."

• She...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 24, 2022

"I’ve been on this medication since I was 13 years old for epilepsy. I am now at the highest dosage I’ve been: 1000 mg twice a day. When I wake up and before bed. I am always so, so tired, I can sleep so much. I’m very depressed and have no motivation to do anything. People think I’m just making excuses, but ever since I’ve started this medication, I’m exhausted all the time. It’s kept me seizure-free, but I wish I wasn’t so tired."

• coc...
• December 2, 2011

"My 9-year-old daughter takes this 500 mg 2 times a day, and it does lower the seizures by a few, but not enough for the major mood swings she has been having. She is happy 1 minute, and like the flip of a switch, she is so angry and hard to reason with. Six medicines and not one has made a change for the better."

• Anonymous
• January 2, 2018

"I am currently on Keppra 600 mg, gabapentin 1500 mg, clonazepam 1 mg, Vimpac 1000 mg. I have had epilepsy since age 12 and am now 60. I have a headache and am seizuring, mostly at night. My blood pressure is very low, and I am exhausted."

• A N...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 8, 2021

Levetiracetam "Keppra has been the only thing that controls my seizures. It is dangerous at higher doses. It gave me suicidal fantasies and a bipolar-like personality. When I lowered the dose, I feel more stable with a joy for life, but I am so fatigued 24/7. After taking it for 20 years, my memory is shot, and I am scared I am going to get early onset dementia. However, an epileptic has to think about surviving each day without having a seizure in a dangerous circumstance that could kill or seriously injure themselves and others. So although Keppra is not perfect by any means and it will take a lot of experimentation for the right dose, it gave me the best chance at a normal life, seizure-free."

• Tun...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 18, 2021

"Keppra has worked so far for the last 14 years. When compared to the other 1 AED (lamictal) that I've been on, it's the better choice. But, if you are on it or about to start taking it, make sure to look at other options. Whether you're male or female, Keppra will negatively affect your sex life and will seriously impact your ability to reproduce. I wasn't aware of this side effect until recently, but it has affected me since I started. As a result, I'm now infertile. Also, in today's society, if sexual relations in a relationship are on the rocks, a relationship will most likely end in at least 1 partner cheating. Also avoid lamictal, as the FDA has a warning on the side effects (kidney disease). It also causes cognitive impairment, i.e., symptoms resemble those of dementia. Every 4 years I have to decrease the lamictal dose by 100mg due to the side effects. Klonazepam, as well as any anti-depression AED, can also cause infertility."

• ROY...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 10, 2022

"Just wanted to do a follow-up to my comment @ 14 months ago. I am now on 400 mg daily of Vimpat. I am no longer on levetiracetam, however, I am still experiencing side effects of levetiracetam: cognitive issues, confusion, dizziness, lightheadedness, anxiety, depression. I worked corrections and was a go-getter and very good at my job, now I don't want to leave the house and struggle at jobs. I have had 3 EEGs and 1 MRI, I still have seizure activity and medical professionals I have discussed my side effects I had with levetiracetam state I may never get back to my normal self. My neurologist has never addressed this possibility and told me 14 months ago nobody has problems with Keppra/levetiracetam. Please advocate for yourself when encountering med change."

• Lyn...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 10, 2022

Levetiracetam "I took this medication during my pregnancy with my youngest son. I had almost 160 seizures during the pregnancy, plus I was a horrible person to be around due to the constant irritability. It was horrible. My son was delivered early to try to get me on a better medicine. My doctor suggested we try it again after the pregnancy, and it still didn't work. Horrible medicine!"

• bia...
• September 30, 2009

Levetiracetam "I have had epilepsy since age 13. My doctor put me on Keppra and Lamictal XR. It's only been a week, and I have a lot of the same side effects you all are getting, so I called my doctor, and I'm going back to see him next week."

• KS6...
• March 7, 2021

Levetiracetam "So far, I’ve been on Keppra for 1 week. My experience is short with this drug, but so far it has been a lifesaver. I’ve had no side effects yet. I was switched off of Topamax after recording more than 24 side effects on the minimum dosage of 25 mg. I ended up being allergic to it, and it was so bad for me. On Keppra, I finally feel like myself again. It’s a Godsend for me, personally. I feel like I got my life back."

• cjw...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 11, 2022

Levetiracetam "I nearly died in the hospital from epilepsy. My doctor prescribed Keppra, and now I take Keppra at home. My epilepsy problems have gradually disappeared. I take it three times a day in liquid form, and it is easy to take, but it doesn’t taste good."

• Luc...
• October 22, 2016

"At present, I am taking Lamotrigine 25 mg four times a day. Due to some speech problems during the past six months, it was decided that I should change to another drug called Levetiracetam. I have looked up the side effects for this tablet and find that the tablet has more side effects than Lamotrigine. What makes Levetiracetam any better to use when the side effects are horrific?"

• Anonymous
• March 3, 2016

"I had a heart attack and had a stent, which led to a stroke and the need for brain surgery. Miraculously, I was saved by a young neurological surgeon. Seizures followed, but the recovery the first 3 months on a lot of different medication made the outlook positive. Medication was lowered, and I started experiencing what we feared were TIAs but was finally diagnosed as a form of epilepsy. The first medications did not work well until I have been on levetiracetam for 6 months, and everything has improved a lot during that period, including memory and mood. I do have the sleepiness at night, but not a problem."

• Tre...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 2, 2020

"Was on Epilim 200 mg for 47 years. I am turning 51. It was the first medicine change when I was put on Levetiracetam 500 mg twice a day in December and gradually weaning off Epilim at the same time right up to June. In between April and September, my moods were all over the place. It was affecting me and I didn't know why. On July 20th, I ended up in the hospital first with a suspected stroke, ended up having a partial seizure. Back in again on August 9th, after taking three seizure medications, they upped my meds to 750 mg twice a day. A week later, I was having hallucinations, shaking, anxiety, seizures, suicidal thoughts, and even broke my marriage. The hospital says I have to come off meds, so now waiting to see a neurologist."

• For...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 6, 2020

"I suffered from delirium from this medication, levetiracetam. I didn't even remember my own name. I was in the hospital for a week, and they said if I didn't come out of it within 5 days, I would never come out of it. I came out on the 5th day."

• Mba...
• October 11, 2020

"Been on this medication for over 15 years. I suffer from epilepsy and several types of seizures. Would recommend Keppra to control and prevent upcoming seizures. I would definitely recommend Keppra for people suffering light seizures or epilepsy consuming medications daily to prevent attacks. However, you will not be able to rely on it during your heavy attacks. You would need a diazepam rectal tube or Seroquel to immediately calm you down within seconds. Advice, please take note to always have an emergency medication, as when your loved ones are under a severe epilepsy attack, you would be able to help them with a diazepam rectal tube 5mg or Seroquel tablet, which immediately calms them down within seconds - stops the hallucinations, anxiety, seizures, and calms you down. Take note to only take it when needed, as those medications are highly addictive. If you're on Keppra, stick with it :) Take note that it only helps prevent seizures and it has the least side effects :) No depression! Amazing!"

• Lou...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 23, 2020

"I have been taking 3000 mg daily for several months now. I have every side effect possible that I need a carer as I cannot manage daily living. This is my fourth brand of AED in 6 months as the side effects are so terrible. I have had epilepsy for 42 years, and only since being on AEDs have I been this bad. Trial and error 'til I find what works best as I have other health conditions which limit the choices of meds."

• roy...
• December 29, 2020

"Question, question, question your doctor. I was on Dilantin for 35+ years, and my seizures were well under control. No seizures since 1988. This year (2020), my neurologist decided, as I am getting older, Dilantin will not be good for my bones. My neurologist put me on levetiracetam. I have never taken off-brand/generic because there is just the slightest difference. Well, where to begin with the issues I had with levetiracetam. I looked, literally, like the walking dead and could count every bone besides the anxiety, moodiness, loss of appetite, weight loss (30 lbs), snapping at my dogs, cats, and family for no reason. I checked off each and every side effect AND made my own additional list. Couldn't work because the side effects were so bad. Severe side effects. Worst med I have ever taken!!!!!"

• Pba...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 15, 2020

"I'm 22 years old. Had a brain hemorrhage at the age of 19, later had an open head surgery for AVM at 20. Been taking Levipill 500 mg twice a day since then. Thankfully, I had no seizures or epilepsy to date, but the side effects are worse. I have horrible mood swings, agitation, lack of finding words to speak, zoned out, not able to socialize with anyone, even family, prefer being alone, irritability, can't control emotions, crying a lot, suicidal thoughts. What I would easily sweep under the carpet, those things outrage me now. Really want to share my feelings, I'm not this, but I don't know why I can't. Want to get rid of this ASAP, but the doctor says I need to take this lifelong to avoid seizures. Can't get worse!!"

• jay...
• November 8, 2015

"I am on Keppra 1000 mg and 100 mg Topamax daily. Combination very effective, but I am experiencing severe side effects like tiredness, fatigue, and muscle weakness. Difficult to attend to my daily needs."